Fourth Planet of the Zeta System, near-orbit space station.
As a disturbance rippled through the pitch-black void, a spacecraft appeared out of thin air from warped space. It immediately slowed down and gradually approached the station.
The Zeta System had originally been a rear-area system of the Anti-Insectoid Alliance, a peaceful region far from the battlefield. But now, the planet was packed with troops. Even several spaceports near the planet had been taken over by the military and turned into temporary naval ports.
The reason was that the Zeta System was directly connected by the Star Net to the recently fallen Epsilon System.
The insects had used wormhole technology to launch a surprise attack on the Epsilon System, turning what had once been a safe rear-world into a brutal battlefield. Naturally, the Zeta System, which was connected to Epsilon, had become a dangerous frontline border as well.
For that reason, security checks at the Zeta System's spaceports were especially strict. Before a spacecraft could land, it had to undergo an external scan and be confirmed risk-free before it was allowed inside.
The Zeta System was the homeworld of the Zetans. These aliens had an appearance similar to humans, except they were slightly shorter, with larger heads, slimmer limbs, bigger eyes, no outer ears, smaller noses, almost no body hair, and pale green skin. Other than that, Zetans were practically no different from Earthlings.
Their physical differences led to differences in bodily functions as well. Compared to Earthlings, Zetans had poorer hearing, so they rarely communicated through sound. When necessary, they spoke very loudly, sounding to humans like the shrieks of wild beasts. Correspondingly, because their ears were less sensitive, Zetans tolerated noise far better than Earthlings. As a result, Earthlings found Zetan-made equipment extremely loud and grating.
Of course, as